Everyone knew she was too damn depressed to date, and Prince also didn’t wanna be known as the nigga chasing behind Driz’s girl, so it wasn’t until about a year after Driz’s murder did he actively pursue Camarih.
During, I was sick to my stomach, having to act like I didn’t know the nigga. He even made me go as far as pretending to hate him to make it seem more real. And honestly, that part wasn’t hard after what he’d done to me and after what I began witnessing him do to my best friend. Despite what I’d done, I loved Camarih, and watching him mistreat her definitely turned my fake hate to something semi-real.
I’d contemplated over their three-year relationship, telling the truth, but he threatened me, saying he’d have me done the same way as Driz, and how he had our messages to prove I’d assisted him in a murder. He told me he’d printed them out and kept them, in case I got out of line. Eventually, I gave up. Plus, I knew Camarih was too deep into her relationship with Prince for me to say anything. I felt she’d only call me a liar, attributing it to the fact that I’d hated him all this time, and then cut me off.
While they were together, we didn’t fuck as much, maybe once every two or three months and even less when I met my boyfriend, Jeoff. For a while, we completely stopped, but when Camarih got pregnant the last time and refused to sleep with him, he came crawling back and knocked me up as well. I wanted to pin it on Jeoff, but he’d seen my text messages on my iPad to Prince, telling him I was pregnant and that it was his.
“Yes, I’d like some water too,” I finally replied to the nurse as she waved her hand in my face. “Did that man named Phillip come?” I quizzed.
“No. The father didn’t come. I am sorry.” She gave me a sympathetic smile before leaving the room.
I’d told them to look out for him and wake me if he showed up.
Wincing in pain, I reached for my purse on the table next to me, keeping an eye on my sleeping baby in the clear crib. Retrieving my phone, I dialed Prince.
“What?” He picked up.
“I told you the baby was coming today.” I was already crying. How did I still love this man?
“That’s not my fucking baby.”
“Then whose is it, Phillip!”
“I don’t fucking know! Maybe that square ass boyfriend you had!” he shouted.
“Come take a test then.”
“I don’t need to. I don’t want no fucking baby with you. I barely even wanted to fuck you. I only did it because my girl was bugging.”
His words hurt deeply, making my body ache in pain. I’d lost so much behind him, including my dignity, and now I was miserable.
“You may not want a baby with me, but you got one. I’m sure if I were Camarih, you’d be fine with it. But guess what? Word on the street is she’s carrying Tony Wacko’s baby. Sorry, too late for you.” I ranted as I let the tears cover my face.
“Lying ass bitch. Good luck, single mom. I hope that bastard dies too.” He hung up.
Just as the nurse entered with my food, I put a pillow over my face, ignoring her calls of my name, and sobbing as hard as I could.
1
Camarih Marlon
Present time…
Swallowing hard, Isis said, “What I want to say is, Phillip was mine before he was yours.”
“Oh, was he?” I laughed.
“Yes, he was. I met him five and a half years ago and—”
“No. No you didn’t.” I shook my head. “I’ve known you for a long time and—”
“Camarih, honestly, I met him about five and a half years ago, and we’d been fucking since damn near day one. I kept our shit on the low because he said he was a private guy, and I was foolish enough to go along with it. About six months into us fucking, he saw you and I out together from afar and became obsessed with you. Like crazy, coming up with schemes to be with you, obsessed.
It hurt me obviously, so he tried to make it seem like his interest in who you were, when I met you, etc., was just because he cared about me and wanted to know who I surrounded myself with. But the truth eventually came out. Then he found out you were with Driz, since I never told him, and he got… jealous. However, Prince has always been soft, so he wasn’t gonna do anything.”
“Okay, just stop with the fairytales. How much did he pay you to make this shit up?”
“Not as much as he paid those niggas to kill Driz.”
I shook my head ‘no’, staring at Isis like she was transforming into the werewolf from Thriller.
“You’re a fucking lie, bitch.” I moved closer to her. “You better admit it right now, or I’m gonna knock your fucking lights out.” I gritted my teeth as I stared deeply into her eyes.
I was pissed as hell after hearing her say such a thing. She’d really hit rock bottom and blurted out the craziest shit just for me to forgive her stupid ass.
As a tear crept from her eye, she shook her head slightly. “I wish I could, Camarih, but this is the truth. Prince paid—”
WHAP!
I wanted to punch her, but I feared it’d knock her out, and then I’d be responsible for her baby until the ambulance came, so I settled for a hard slap. Isis’s head whipped in the direction of the hit, and she kept it there for a moment before slowly turning back to face me.
By this time, half of the people inside of the nail shop were watching, including nosy ass Grace.
“When I catch you without your baby and when I’m not pregnant, you better pray to God up in heaven that someone stops me before I kill you. You liar.” I was crying at this point, Driz’s death feeling like it just happened yesterday.
“Camarih!” Isis yelled my name as I stormed to my car. “Camarih, I’m not done! Please!” I could tell she was sobbing.
My mind was full of all kinds of shit as my head began to spin. The next thing I knew, everything went black.
“Bitch, you said she was gon’ wake the fuck up at around six p.m. It’s six o’ muthafuckin’ one, and my girl still knocked the fuck out!” A man barked as my eyes fluttered open.
“It’s only been one minute and—” The sound of the safety being taken off of a gun cut into her statement, and it was then I realized who it was that had her in fear: my sexy, psycho baby daddy.
“Houston.” I spoke his name, but it was way too soft for him to hear.
“Get somebody in here to wake her the fuck up, or yo’ thick neck ass is going to sleep for good.”
“Okay, okay.” She hurried out as I continued to try to call his name.
He watched, staring out of the door with his sexy mean mug. I stared as he licked his lips, waiting on her return. His white t-shirt and gray sweats looked so damn good on him, and even though I was a bit out of it, I knew that Hermés cologne anywhere.
“Oh shit.” He spotted me, grinning hard as he made his way over to the bed. “Buttascotch, you had me about to air this bitch out. Hoe ass nurse in here lying her fucking ass off. It’s 6:04 p.m., and you just now waking up.” He put his gun up after checking his watch.
I simply smiled because my head was in pain, but on the inside, I was laughing at his antics.
“Hello, sir, is there a problem?” A male doctor with deep brown skin and salt and pepper hair entered, with that same nurse almost hiding behind him.
When Tony stood up straight, the doctor backed down physically and cleared his throat. He looked to be about my height compared to Tony’s big ass. I knew the doctor was at least six feet, however.
“Who you trying to press, cuz?” Tony got up on him.
“Houston, baby, no. He’s just asking.” I forced myself to speak louder so my doctor wouldn’t get his ass handed to him.
“Yes, yes, exactly. I am just wondering if I can help with anything.” The doctor laughed awkwardly, and Tony mocked him but didn’t budge. When Tony stopped chortling, the doctor did too, and for a few moments, silence danced over the room.
“Fuck you standing there for. Check on my girl, muthafucka.” Tony frowned, gesturing toward me.
�
�Yes. I’m Dr. Terry Dourdain, Miss Marlon. How are you feeling?” the doctor asked as the nurse came onto the other side of me and poured what looked like tea.
Tony stayed right next to Dr. Dourdain, and I could feel the poor doctor’s sweaty palms as he touched my hand. My baby had this poor man shook.
I drank some of the drink down, which I realized was some nasty ass broth, but the warmth felt great on my throat which was unbelievably dry.
“I’m whatever. What about my baby?” I panicked.
“Cuz is good. I checked when I first got here.” Tony piped in, making me look up at him.
Before I could respond, I burst into tears.
“Miss Marlon—”
“Aye, baby, what’s wrong?” Tony bumped the doctor off some and leaned down to kiss me.
“I didn’t want to know what the baby was until I gave birth.” I whimpered.
“I ain’t say what it was. I said cuz was straight.”
Pausing my tears, I looked into his eyes and said, “You would call a girl cuz?”
“Anybody can get called that shit. Ain’t that right, cuz?” Tony looked at the doctor who nodded promptly, which made me laugh, so Tony smiled widely before pecking me again.
“Yes, he’s right. The baby is in perfect health. You should be delivering soon, it looks like. We’ve contacted your doctor who was willing to come give you an ultrasound just to be sure everything is good, but your son or daughter is in perfect health. I promise.” The doctor explained. “Did you need anything?”
“Some more broth?” The nurse smiled.
“No.” I adjusted myself.
After telling me I could use the button to call them at any time, Dr. Dourdain and the nurse left.
“Fuck happened to you? I got the call about you being in this muthafucka, so I got ready to ride out on some niggas. What’s up?” Tony was seated next to me, frowning deeply. His beautiful caramel skin seemed to be glistening. I was tired but wanted to have sex.
I giggled as I looked over at him. He was so hood.
“I’d gone too long without eating, I guess, so I fainted after the nail shop,” I half lied.
I wasn’t about to mention Isis and the conversation she and I had. For one, I wanted to speak with her again, and secondly, I knew Tony would probably kill her or slap her around if he found out she was the reason behind my fainting spell, although indirectly.
“Let me get yo’ ass some food now then, because you can’t be starving my fucking kid.” He stood. “What you want?”
“Master Burger.”
“Aight.” He started toward the door.
“And Houston, please do not get into any fights, because I’m extremely hungry. Go, order my food, and then bring it right back.”
“Long as a muthafucka don’t try to press me, we gon’ be good.” He ran his hand over his beautiful kinky hair. It was tapered nicely on the sides.
Come to think of it, this nigga’s hair stayed fresh. I lived with him and never saw it looking rough.
“No one presses you; you just get offended over everything.” I chuckled. “Don’t cut anybody in line.”
“I don’t wait in line,” was the last thing he said before he left, making me pray he came back quickly with his rude, ill-mannered ass.
A couple days later…
Now that I was out of the hospital, I wanted to go see Isis. I was supposed to be on bed rest, my personal doctor’s orders, because she wanted me to de-stress since the baby would be coming soon.
I felt fine, but all I could think about was what Isis told me. I’d tried everything to keep my focus elsewhere, but it wasn’t working.
So, right after Tony left this afternoon, I unblocked the bitch and texted her to meet me for lunch. I chose a public place, hoping it would keep me from knocking her ass out because, at the moment, I was liable to choke her to death. Not to mention, I was pretty hungry all of the time and didn’t want to be starving while she explained everything with very intricate details.
Lately I’d been into tube dresses because they were easy to get over my body, and I didn’t have to think about a whole outfit. Once my earrings were in and my Valentino sandals were on my feet, I grabbed my purse to head to lunch.
We decided to meet at this place named The Original Pantry Cafe. They sold breakfast all day, so even though it was lunchtime, I could still get the pancakes I’d been thinking about since this morning.
“Camarih.” Isis rose from the table she was at to wave me down. For some reason, she was smiling.
Her baby stroller was next to her.
Rolling my eyes at how animated and excited she was, I made my way over and sat down across from her. It was midday, so not many people were here, and the ones that were, were old enough to be my dad’s grandparents.
“Did you order?” I inquired once I was seated.
“No. I told them I wanted to wait.” Isis waved over some woman who I assumed was our waitress.
We both ordered, making sure to get some juice as well, before letting the waitress go put everything in.
“I—”
“Before you say anything, I just want you to know I was so happy when I saw that you called. And you look so beautiful.” Isis grinned, breathing hard a little bit like she couldn’t contain her feelings.
“Don’t get shit twisted, Isis. This is not some reunion. I’m simply here because I want you to explain to me what the hell you were talking about outside of Grace’s nail shop.”
“No, I know. It’s just I was thinking that maybe after—”
“Hurry up please because once my food comes, I want to eat in silence and then part ways.”
Isis just stared at me for what seemed like an eternity, before looking off out of the window we were seated next to.
“Like I said, I met Phillip about five and a half years ago, quite a while before you did, obviously.”
“Isis, we have been friends for as long as I can remember, and you never mentioned a Phillip or Prince.” I felt myself frowning.
“He wanted to keep things private. Then he saw us out together, somewhere, he never told me, and ever since then, he’d been obsessed with you. After seeing you, all he did was ask about you, and I tried to block it out, but it was obvious you were the one he really wanted.”
All I could do was chuckle subtly because this shit was crazy. I didn’t want to believe this, but unfortunately, it explained Isis’s behavior. She was never the slutty type nor the type of girl to sleep with her best friend’s man, so what she did to me caught me so off guard that I was bewildered for months after.
“Yet you still dated him. You didn’t even mention this shit to me prior to Driz’s murder.”
“No, because he was mine, Camarih!” She hollered but then quickly calmed down when she remembered we were in public. “He was mine, and I didn’t want to chance you two being together if I said anything about him liking you.”
Our food arrived, so I waited for the waitress to walk off.
“Whatever. Get to the part about him having Driz killed and how the fuck you know.” I’d already started tearing into my food.
“He umm, he found out about you and Driz, and he was pissed with me for not telling him.” Isis had stopped making eye contact with me and was now having a staring contest with her omelet. “He then told me he was gonna have him taken care of. Next thing I knew, Driz had been murdered.” She finally peered into my eyes.
“How is that proof, Isis? Prince is not exactly the American Gangster; he talks shit all day but never does anything.”
She swallowed hard.
Shrugging, she replied, “He told me he did it, and I was with him when he pulled the cash from the ATM to pay for the hit… fifteen hundred dollars per person.”
“Where would he get that kind of money? This is bullshit.”
“From his parents. They put money into his savings monthly, Camarih.” She drank her juice while shocking me.
“Prince’s parents are dead.”
“No, they’re not. They’re rich as hell, in Calabasas. They just cut him off when he chose to pursue singing seriously and signed that record deal. But for a while, he’d been playing trust fund kid.”
How the fuck did Isis know more about my old nigga than I did? I felt sick to my stomach and no longer had an appetite.
“So the whole time I dated him… you knew he killed Driz and never said one word? The whole time I was with him, you’d been fucking him, and never once thought to let me know? When I first mentioned him, saying he was interested in me, you didn’t think to stop me?”
Isis was crying.
“I know it sounds bad, and it is, but Camarih, I was in love with him. I kept his secret because I really thought he would come back to me. Then after a year or so, I realized he’d played me, but by then, he was your man and you loved him so—”
“I loved Driz too!” I roared, standing abruptly and making her jump. “You didn’t give a fuck about me being in love then, did you? You sat with me countless hours as I cried, saying I wanted to take my own life because I was that miserable, and you didn’t think once to say that you knew who’d done this. You are the fucking worst!” I got up to leave, throwing two twenty-dollar bills down.
“Camarih, no.” Isis came after me, pushing her stroller. “Camarih, I love you, and I am sorry! Understand that I loved him! I was stupid, and I knew if I said anything, you would never talk to me again!”
At this point, we were both outside of the establishment.
“No, you don’t love me.” I shook my head. “You loved Phillip more than you gave a fuck about me. And let me find out you helped him in any way, Isis, and I swear to God.”
“Camarih, just think. You wouldn’t have Tony now if you’d stayed with Driz.”
“Don’t you ever speak my nigga’s name again.” I got in her face, making her jump back a little bit. “I don’t ever want you to talk to me.”
She Gave Her All to the Hood’s Finest 3 Page 2
